Then, too, he was talking and acting in such contrast
to the way I had expected him to talk and act at our first meeting
alone after the past weeks, that in amazement I stared at him. Of
self-consciousness or embarrassment there was no sign. It had
obviously not occurred to him that his acquaintanceship with a girl
he had given no evidence of knowing when I was present, and three
days later had been seen walking with on the street, absorbed in deep
and earnest conversation, was a matter I would like to have
explained. The density of men for a moment kept me dumb.
Selwyn has been reared in a school honest in its belief that a woman
is too fine and fair a thing to face life frankly; that personal
knowledge and understanding on her part of certain verities, certain
actualities, did the world no good and woman harm. But the woman of
whom he thought was the sheltered, cultured, cared-for woman of his
world. Protection of her was a man's privilege and obligation. Of
the woman who has to do her own protecting, fight her way through,
meet the demands of those dependent on her, he personally knew
little.
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